Singer-songwriter Jackson Browne plays Verizon Theatre Sunday night. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member will have a venue full of rapturous baby boomers enthralled with his timeless, lyrical tunes that shaped a generation. Browne honed his craft during the late ’60s and early ’70s Southern California folk coffeehouse circuit. He later rode the wave of the lucrative folk-rock movement that spawned other critical and commercial wunderkinder such as Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, the Eagles, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Randy Newman and Neil Young.

The ’70s were good to Browne. In fact, the ’70s were very good to introspective singer-songwriters with personal lyrics and indelible melodies that felt universal to an audience craving a soundtrack to call their own.

Now in 2012 — an era of loud, overproduced pop, hip-hop, teen pop sensations, sex-crazed R&B, TV singing competition contestants and guttural modern metal — a handful of worthy singer-songwriters who would have been all over the radio in the ’70s will forever be critically acclaimed artists on small record labels, playing modest venues and struggling to make a name for themselves. They remain largely undiscovered by the masses. Yet their artistry speaks volumes to those who listen.

Here are eight singer-songwriters and a couple of bands who would have been huge 40 years ago:

Jimmy LaFave: A native of Wills Point, now Austin-based, LaFave writes longing songs about love gone wrong, the world-weary reflection of the highway, the emotions of losing loved ones and the quest for personal freedom. He sings them in that beautifully anguished voice. A disciple of Woody Guthrie, LaFave has a stellar new album, Depending on the Distance.

Grace Pettis: The daughter of lauded singer-songwriter Pierce Pettis has steadfastly found her own voice via hushed, contemplative songs and folk-circuit hosannas, including her 2011 Kerrville New Folk contest victory. She is Austin-based and recently released a pensively soulful second album dubbed Two Birds.

John Gorka: A contemporary folk titan of the last 25 years, Minneapolis-based Gorka has spent his career penning penetrating songs and surrounding himself with expert musicians such as John Jennings, Eliza Gilkyson and Lucy Kaplansky (together they are the trio Red Horse), Shawn Colvin and John Leventhal. His latest solo album is 2009’s So Dark You See.

Julia Fordham: A liltingly soulful voice and lush songs characterize England’s Fordham. She has traveled through pop, R&B, jazz and world-beat music during a career that has produced such masterpieces as 1989’s Porcelain and 2002’s Concrete Love. She teamed with actor-pianist Paul Reiser for 2010’s melodically fluid Unusual Suspects.

Gretchen Peters: Criminally underrated as a recording artist, Peters found her grandest success writing songs that others turned into hits — “Independence Day” for Martina McBride, “You Don’t Even Know Who I Am” for Patty Loveless and “The Secret of Life” for Faith Hill. Peters continues to make exceptional albums such as her latest, Hello Cruel World.

Mindy Smith: The Long Island, N.Y., native stands somewhere in that gray area that separates folk from rock, country from bluegrass, Americana from alternative. That’s why she’s never enjoyed commercial kudos, all the while taking home widespread critical praise. But she’s got a fan in Dolly Parton, among others, and recently went independent with her fourth studio disc, Mindy Smith.

Bob Schneider: Austin’s musical chameleon will not be pinned down. He can go from mambo to metal, but finds his common ground in quirky folk-pop tunes with an occasional rock edge. His last two albums, 2009’s Lovely Creatures and 2011’s A Perfect Day, both released on Dallas’ Kirtland Records, capture the full scope of his powers.

John Fullbright: He’s been compared to a young Dylan, and he’s also a worshipper of the Woody Guthrie songwriting church. Fullbright, of Bearden, Okla., is a master storyteller, weaving tragic songs such as “High Road” that keep audiences transfixed. He has two albums, 2009’s Live at the Blue Door and 2012’s From the Ground Up.

Stonehoney: Think the Eagles on a Texas country bent and you have an idea of Austin’s Stonehoney, the four-man band signed to Music Road Records. These guys make windows-down, wind blowing down the interstate songs laced by plenty of tightly woven harmonies. These guys have been on the road for about five years and released 2010’s The Cedar Creek Sessions.

Needtobreathe: Blending Christian rock with alt-rock and Bear Rinehart’s robust vocals, the South Carolina band has steadily gained a following. Opening superstar Taylor Swift’s North American leg of 2011’s “Speak Now World Tour” certainly gave them invaluable exposure. They’ve yet to make the leap to arena headliners despite 2011’s strong The Reckoning.

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About Mario Tarradell

Mario has covered a variety of popular music genres, from pop and rock to country and Latin music since he arrived at The News in 1994. A native of Cuba who was raised in Miami, he also enjoys reviewing movies and books. He's an avid music collector, from vintage vinyl albums to CDs and even cassettes. He's also an avid reader of classics and more modern works. And he collects celebrity posters from the 1970s and 1980s. Follow him on Twitter @MarioTarradell

Hometown: Miami

Education: Mario has a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Arts from St. Thomas University.